London Fashion Week with a Baby

With my 9 weeks old daughter, Ayame, strapped on me with a sling, Fashion Week this season was very special and a completely new experience. As Ayame’s first Fashion Week, we only attend a few exclusive events and presentations instead of going to shows which can be very hectic at times. I was also slightly worried about being constantly on the move with her, but luckily, she seemed to enjoy being around the buzz and basically slept through most events (it was the best background noise for her nap times)!

The highlight of our Fashion Week has to be the Aspinal presentation which had transformed their flagship store into an English garden. With walls of flowers greeting us from the entrance, Ayame was mesmerised by the vivid colours of their new collection handbags and loved meeting new people. As a die hard Strictly lover, I also turned into a total fan girl when I saw Bruno Tonioli there! This Fashion Week has definitely been a memorable experience and I can’t wait to take Ayame to the next one in September! xxx

With Ayame now over 9 weeks old, I thought it was a good time for me to post about my experience using the Stokke Xplory pushchair. I have been using the Xplory since day 1 and I have to say, it has been one of the best decisions I have made so far with baby products. Pushchairs are such an important and big ticket item to get and I did some extensive research on which one to buy. There are a lot of discussions and forums on this as well, but for me, the main reason why I decided to go with Stokke is maneuverability, functionality and design(of course!). So, I wanted to break these components down as to why I think the Xplory is the best pushchair especially for London and anyone living in cities.

Maneuverability – It’s So Easy to Push the Stokke Around Town!

Living in London, I knew from even before Ayame arrived that maneuverability was going to be one of the key components for the ideal pushchair. Let’s face it, London roads are horrendous with cobble stones, multiple levels and bumps due to never ending road works and lots and lots of people to contend with. I knew that whichever pram I chose, I needed one that is easily pushable with good steering control. I’m also not the strongest of mummies (literally zero arm and upper body muscles!) so I wanted one that is light weight.

The best advice I got was to try out multiple prams at various department stores and baby stores. I must have tried a dozen different kind of pushchairs and I have to say this is so key! What I thought was going to be the one for me turned out to be so not right so I’m so glad I tested the top contenders out before I decided on one. The Stokke Xplory was definitely by far, the easiest pram to push around and maneuver corners. I think this makes sense given that the Xplory has been specifically designed by the Norwegian brand for city life. It’s also got 360 two wheel functions that makes swiveling around and maneuvering through millions of people (especially around Oxford Street during New Years sales) and tight spaces incredibly easy.

I am also a really active person and get jittery when I’m cooped up at home for days on end so I wanted a pushchair that would make me want to go out. And I have to say, the lightness of the Xplory has definitely been a god sent! I didn’t realise this until Ayame was born, but London is seriously not a step free city with many places unreachable with wheels. This is especially the case for traveling on the underground. London tube stations (even the main ones like King’s Cross and Victoria) are not pram friendly with many platforms and exists only accessible by stairs or by an extremely convoluted way via lifts at the other end of the station. People are usually really nice and help me get up stairs whenever necessary, but there has been times when I have had to try and get pushchair up by myself. On these occasions, I really felt like the Xplory delivered. It’s sturdy enough to deal with some banging around but light enough for me to carry its weight up some steps (the trick ladies, is to roll the wheels up the stairs backwards).

Functionality – Connection with my Baby

One key thing to check before you decide on a pram is whether it is compatible as your baby grows. For example, there is no point getting a Rolls Royce of a pram if it can’t be used once the baby is older. I think the Xplory is going to be perfect as Ayame grows up. At the moment, we are using the Xplory Carry Cot as she is still a newborn (this is an additional option so be sure to get this if you are a new parent to be!), but once she is a little older, I am really looking forward to the various seat positions that the Xplory provides. There are 3 parent facing positions (sleep, rest and active) and 2 forward facing positions (rest and active) which I think provides the necessary variations and adaptability for each unique situation. I am especially looking forward to raising the stroller seat higher as this should be a great way to connect with Ayame once she’s older. Even in the Xplory Carry Cot, I really feel like we have great interaction as the cot is perfectly placed to meet my eyesight. Being able to talk to her whilst we walk around town has been such a great experience for me.

The arrival of Ayame has definitely led to adjustments in our life, but at the same time, I think it is really important that where possible, you keep your lifestyle so that your looking after yourself as well. A happy mummy means a happy baby! For us, this has meant that whenever possible, going out for dinners at night and brunching at cafes during the day. So, we have been taking Ayame in the Xplory to a lot of restaurants (seriously, don’t be afraid to take the pram with you as most restaurants accommodate for pushchairs). Ayame is quite a social girl and I think she really likes to feel like she is involved in our conversations so I love how the Xplory fits in small spaces and is at table height. I think the Xplory will be absolutely perfect once we can use the active seats when she is older as well.

Design – It’s so Chic!

The design of the pushchair was definitely going to be a key component for me. As the main mode of transporting a baby, the pram literally is like an additional body part which goes everywhere with you. I therefore knew that whichever pram I decided had to have a design which I liked. The Scandinavian design aesthetic of the Stokke Xplory really resonated with me. I love how it comes in so many different colours and seat kits (like its winter kit complete with insulating canopy and sheepskin trim) which makes the Xplory so versatile and perfect for ever season and weather. To fit with the London architecture, I decided to go for the pram with the silver chassis (they come in silver and black) in the grey melange colour.

Stokke as a brand also focuses on designing products which are ergonomic and comfortable. I really think this is such a n important philosophy for baby products so I can’t endorse their products enough! I also have Stokke’s high chair so will be talking about this in another post soon!

So, for all of the above reasons, I think the Stokke Xplory is the perfect pushchair for London!